Halsey h



(No Model.)

H. H. BAKER.

PROPELLING CANAL BOATS. No. 380,781. Patented Apr. 10-, 1888.

l v E l M 1- N PETIRS. Plmm Lmu phcr Wash nglnlv D C NiTED STATES PATENTtribal HALSEY H. BAKER, OF PLA INFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARDA. DEVEAU, OF SAME PLACE.

PROPELLING CANAL- -BOATS.

SPECIFICATIOEQ' forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,781, dated April10, 18 88.

Application filed July 5, 1887. Serial No. 243,3).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALSEY H. BAKER, of Plainfield, in the county ofUnion and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement inPropelling Canal-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent No. 131,839, granted to me October 1, 1872, a deviceis represented for propelling canal-boats in which a rail and rack arelaid along the bank of the canal and the power isupon the boat and itacts to drive a pinion which runs upon the rack to draw the boat, andthere is a tow-line extending from near the pinion to the boat, and inLetters Patent No. 139,996 a peculiarly constructed pinion isrepresented, and a reference is hereby made to the said patents for amore full description of the devices and their mode of operation.

My present invention relates to an improvement upon the driving-pinionand shaft-connection adjacent to said pinion for facilitating theconnection of the pinion and shaft and for keeping the pinion in itsproper position upon the rack, and also for guiding the pinion to itsproper position when again placed upon the rack after having been liftedoff such rack while one boat is passing another.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the pinion, arm, andshaft. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same; and Fig. 3 is a section at theline as :r, Fig. 1.

The shaft D'is to be provided with any suitable universal-jointconnection, and it extends to the engine or other motor upon thecanalboat in a similar manner to that shown in my Patent No. 131, 839 5and the rail G is supported by suitable posts or sleepers, and it has arack, N, between the two flat-topped bars 0 O. This rail G is supportedabove the posts or sleepers, so that the flanges 2 of thepropelling-pinion G extend 'down at each side of the rail G a sufficientdistance to guide and steady the pinion as it rolls upon the rack withits teeth meshing with the teeth of the rack N. In consequence of theseflanges 2 extending down at each side of the rail, it is unnecessary tohave any other guide-rollers or any frame for the same, and there is norisk of the pinion becoming disconnected from the rail and rack.

(No model.)

In order to make the pinion sufficiently small in proportion to theguiding-flanges 2, it is necessary to construct a universal joint thatcan be introduced into a very small opening through the pinion. Itherefore make a flaring mouth, 3, where the shaft passes into thepinion, and I introduce the joint-block 5 between jaws 6 at the end ofthe shaft, the joint-block having trunnions that pass into eyes in thejaws 6. Thisjoint-block and the jaws nearly fill the hole in the middleof the pinion,and I insert a transverse pin,7, through the pinion andthrough thejoint-bl0ck,which pin, occupying a position at right anglesto the trunnions, allows the swiveling or turning movement necessary asthe pinion and shaft revolve, the shaft occupying aninclined position tothe axis of the pinion. By this improvement a very strong universaljoint is constructed, and one that occupies but little space.

As an additional means for guiding the pinion as it runs along upon thetrack, I make use of the conical collar F, that is clamped by a screw,8, to the shaft D, and the conicalface of this collar bears against thesurface of one of the flanges 2, near the edge of the flaring mouth inthe same. By adjusting this collar upon the shaft it aids in keeping theaxis of the pinion at the proper angle to theinclined shaft that passesup to the canal-boat. The inclination of the shaft will be less when theboat is loaded than when it is empty, and the collar F should beadjusted to suit the angle, 8 5 and the parts roll against each otherwith but little friction.

Around the shaft B, adjacent to the collar F, is a ring with adraft-eye, H, to which a line is to be attached and led to the boat near0 the middle part thereof, as in my aforesaid patent, and around theshaft D, between the draft-eye H and the collar I, is a sleeve, K,within which the shaft turns freely, and the V pendent flange 10 has aninclined under edge, 5; and it extends down as far as the lower edge ofthe inner flange, 2, in order that when the arm and shaft are carriedout from the canalboat and above the rail G the parts may pass over therail and be drawn back freely, and too the lower edge of the flange 10overrides the rail and lifts the parts, so that the innerflange passesover the rail and the pinion drops upon the track in its properposition. This is very convenient, especially in connecting with thetrack at night-time. To lessen the friction of the parts as theyrevolve, I provide a jaw in the flange 10, adjacent to the side of theflange 2, and insert therein the conical roller L.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in an apparatus forpropelling canal-boats, ofa stationary rail and rack, and the supportstherefor directly below such rail, a pinion, and flanges at the ends ofthe pinion and forming guides that extend down at each side of and belowthe bottom of the rail to hold the pinion in position, and a shaft anduniversal joint Within the pinion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canal-boats, of ashaft to be propelled by power on the boat, a stationary rail and rackat the side of the canal, a'pinion running upon the rack, and flanges atthe ends of the pinion extending down the sides of and below the bottomof the rail to guide the pinion, a jaw at the end of the shaft, andajoint-block and transverse pin passing through the hollow pinion andforming a universal joint within the pinion, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canalb0ats, of ashaft to be driven by power upon the boat, a stationary rail and rackupon the bank of the canal, a pinion with guide-flanges running on therail and rack, an adjustable conical collar upon the shaft adjacent tothe end of the pinion, and a universal joint connecting the shaft andthe pinion, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canal-boats, of ashaft to be driven by power, a stationary rail and rack upon the bank ofthe canal, a pinion withguide-flanges at the sides of the rail, auniversal joint connecting the shaft and pinion, a sleeve around theshaft, and a pendent flange with an inclined lower edge for guiding thepinion to place upon the track, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling eanal-boats,-ofa'shaft to be driven by power, a stationary rail and rack upon the bankof the canal, a pinion running upon the rack with guide-flanges at thesides of the rail, a universal joint connecting the shaft and pinion, asleeve around the shaft, and a pendent flange with an inclined loweredge for guiding the pinion to place upon the track, a jaw in theflange, and a conical wheel running against the inner flange of thepinion, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 1st day of Jnly,A.D.1887.

H. H. BAKER.

It is hereby certified that the residence of the assignee in LettersPatent No. 380,781, granted April 10, 1888, upon the application ofHalsey H. Baker, of Plainfield, New Jersey, for an improvement inPropelling Canal Boats, was erroneously written and printed of sameplace, (i. e. Plainfield, New Jersey), whereas said residence shouldhave been written and printed Brooklyn, New York,- and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correct-ion therein that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 17th day of April, A. D. 1888.

D. L. HAWKINS,

[SEAL.] V

Assistant Seoretai'y'of the Interior.

Countersigned:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Patents.

